Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Peruvian Booby (Sula variegata)
Peruvian Booby

Peruvian Booby

Sula variegata

The Peruvian booby (Sula variegata) is a seabird with a striking contrast in plumage. Its upperparts are a rich brown, while the underparts, including the head, are a pristine white. The wings are adorned with white mottling, and the wing-coverts are tipped with white, creating a distinctive scale-like appearance. The bill is long, pointed, and grey, complementing their grey webbed feet, which stand in contrast to the vibrant hues of their blue-footed and red-footed relatives.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Peruvian booby, look for the larger size in females, who are on average 19% heavier and possess wings that are 4% larger than males. The sexual dimorphism is subtle but noticeable to the discerning eye.

Habitat

This species is intimately tied to the Humboldt current, favoring the cool, nutrient-rich waters off the South American coast. They are most commonly found on the Peruvian coast and extend southward to central Chile.

Distribution

The Peruvian booby is endemic to the Peruvian current and is less widespread than other booby species. It is the most populous seabird along the Peruvian coast and is a significant contributor to the region's guano production.

Behaviour

Peruvian boobies are known for their nesting habits on smooth, windswept sand flats, which provide the ideal temperature range for their nests. They are plunge divers, foraging close to shore and often in groups, with dives typically lasting between 3.1 and 3.4 seconds.

Song & Calls

Adult Peruvian boobies communicate with a variety of vocalizations. Females produce trumpet-like quacks and honks, while males emit a distinctive whistle. These vocalizations take years to develop and are unique to the species.

Breeding

Breeding occurs throughout the year, peaking in the austral spring-summer. Clutch sizes range from one to four eggs, with two to three being most common. Both parents share in incubation duties, which last around 4 to 5 weeks, and the rearing period extends to about 3 months. Breeding success is closely tied to food availability.

Similar Species

While there are no subspecies of the Peruvian booby, they can hybridize with the blue-footed booby, resulting in offspring that are capable of reproduction.

Diet and Feeding

The Peruvian booby's diet is primarily composed of anchovy, especially the Peruvian anchoveta, supplemented by mackerel depending on prey abundance. Their reliance on the Humboldt Current's upwelling system ensures a steady food supply, although El Niño events can disrupt this and affect breeding success.

Conservation status

The Peruvian booby is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting a stable population. However, environmental changes such as El Niño can have significant impacts on their food sources and breeding success.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Peruvian Boobies on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Gannets, Boobies

A photo of a Gannet (Morus bassanus)

Gannet

Morus bassanus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.